Rail-protector.



No. 831,942. PATENTED SEPT. 25, 1906.

' T. FENWIGK.

RAIL PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1905.

MVQMK UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1906.

Application filed June 21,1905. Serial No. 266,355.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS FENWIOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at No. 204 East Twentieth street, New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Rail-Protector, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in rail-protectors, and particularly to a shield to be applied to the commercial rail of ordinary use.

The main object of the present invention is the production of a protector or shield arranged for application to the commercial rail and providing a wearing-surface therefor, the construction of the shield being such as to provide for its ready renewal when desired.

The invention will be described in the fol lowing specification with reference to the. ac companying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a transverse section illustrating a rail provided with my improved shield. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, the shield and fish-plate being broken off.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the commercial rail, having the usual tread 2, web 3, and base 4.

In carrying out my invention I provide a shield 5, comprising a thin strip of material, which is designed to closely envelop the tread portion of the rail and partially embrace the web portion thereof. By preference the shield is initially formed to provide a hollow body of sectional contour and dimension to snugly receive the rail portions and closely embrace the same. The shield is applied by sliding the same longitudinally of the rail until properly positioned in an obvious manner. If preferred, however, the shield-strip may be laid upon the rail and bent therearound until its projected portions closely embrace the tread of the rail and the desired portion of the rail-web. By preference the projecting members of the shield, which engage the tread of the rail, are formed with openings to aline with the openings in the rail, and fish-plates 6 are designed to overlie the web portions of the shield, so that the bolts 7, securing said fish-plates, are passed through the corresponding openings in the web portions of the shield. By this construction the shield is removably secured in place and its ready renewal when worn or otherwise objectionable is provided for.

The shield proper is constructed of any metal or alloy, though preferably of hardened steel approximately one-eighth of an inch in thickness in commercial size, being approximately of a length equal to the length of the rail, although it is to be understood that, if desired, the shields may be made in varying lengths and a plurality of shields used with each of the rails.

I am aware that it has been heretofore roposed to provide a rail with a wearing-sur ace which may be removed at will, though so far as I am advised none .of such wearing-surfaces are designed for use with the commercial rail and adapted to closely envelop the tread portion and partially embrace the web portions 1 of said rail.

With the use of my improved shield the life of the ordinary rail is g'reatly increased, as the shields at a comparatively small cost may be renewed from timeto time, and thereby protect the rail proper against any wear whatever.

It is to be further noted in connection with my invention that the shields are adapted for ready application to commerclal rails now in use and may be applied without moving the rail from the bed.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is In combination with a railroad-rail, of a shield therefor comprising a metallic stri of equal thickness throughout and shaped to embrace the tread portion of the rail with its edges depending from said tread portion in contact with the web of the rail, and means for removably securing said shield in position.

THOMAS FENWIOK. Witnesses:

JOHN MURPHY, MICHAEL BURKE. 

